Former Gold Bar Elementary PTA president accused of raping teen girl



SULTAN, Wash. -- A Gold Bar Elementary School volunteer and former PTA president is accused of repeatedly raping and sending explicit messages to a teenage girl who "considered him to be a father figure."

According to court documents, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office investigation began when the mother of the victim, now 15, found explicit messages from the 34-year-old man in her daughter's Facebook messenger inbox. Q13 is not identifying the suspect because he has not been formally charged.

When detectives interviewed the teen, she told them that she and the man, a corrections officer for the state Department of Corrections, had been exchanging messages on Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram for about two years. It's unclear if the man is still employed by the corrections department.

She also said they had intercourse 10-12 times over the past two-and-a-half years, beginning in mid-2017 when she was at his home. The teen was 13 years old the first time it happened, she said.

Detectives said the suspect is a volunteer at Gold Bar Elementary and a former PTA president and Girl Scout leader.

Police said they were concerned about the man being released on bail, because he "took advantage of a young female who considered him to be father figure."

Detectives have said they are concerned there are other victims. They are following up on various tips, the sheriff's office said.

"(He) has also violated the community's trust," court documents state.  "(He) has been entrusted by the local community
placing in him several positions of authority and trust with young children."

The man is facing charges of rape in the child 2nd degree and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. He has a probable cause hearing Wednesday afternoon.